(BIVN) – On Thursday, September 12, Hawaiʻi Island Police responded to two separate incidents that prompted the closure of Rainbow Falls State Park.
Police described the first incident in a Friday media release:
In the first incident, a 35-year-old man was threatening to jump from the edge of the cliff. Police were able to negotiate with the man after about a 40-minute standoff. The man was later taken to Hilo Medical Center for evaluation.
“I want to thank the patrol officers for the quick response and taking the time to talk to the man, and not rushing to quell the incident. Their calm response resulted in a peaceful resolution to an otherwise volatile event that could have had tragic consequences,” said Sergeant Norbert Serrao of the South Hilo Patrol Division.
In the second incident, police say “a fallen tree blocked access to the area” forcing the closure of the park while state road crews worked to remove the debris.
“Hawaiʻi Island Police wanted to thank the public for staying away from the area while they worked on the two separate incidents,” the release stated.
by Big Island Video News8:00 am
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STORY SUMMARY
HILO, Hawaiʻi - Rainbow Falls State Park had to be closed twice on Thursday, as police responded to two unrelated incidents.